A Tour of Flanders victory in style, making the winning attack on Old Kwaremont and reaching the Oudenaarde finish line alone, just as he wanted. This is how Tadej Pogacar placed his first pike in Flanders, his fourth monument in total and the third in a different one: Liège-Bastoña-Liège, Lombardy (double entry) and Flanders are already on the list. Missing Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix. He is 24 years old and is a double winner of the Tour de France. He still has a lot left, although for the first time he spoke of the word withdrawn, yes as a sign of pride: “After this, I could announce my retirement and look back on my career with pride. I can’t help but be very happy.” told the one from the UAE in goal in some statements collected by Sporza.
The team calculated that, for these seasons, one of the peaks of form would reach Flanders. Now, I rest and then, it is probable, that I will be in the Ardennes in the second half of the month. It will be seen later based on his recovery: “My season is already a success, even if I don’t win the Tour de France (another of his big goals this year). I thank all my colleagues for the work. This is a day I will never forget.” And, who knows, in the future he might try to conquer all five monuments, something only Eddy Merckx, Roger de Vlaeminck and Rik Van Looy did. “San Remo is the most difficult to win. This year I was also there in good shape (he was fourth). Roubaix is also on the list of the future. We’ll see. For that I have to put on a few kilos and my hands have to become more resistant to survive the cobblestones”, he detailed
As is the tradition in Belgium, Pogacar received some chips after his victory. “I’ll eat it later,” he said with a laugh. As soon as he crossed the finish line he was congratulated by Van der Poel, whom he left stuck on the cobblestones: “I’m a little disappointed, but Tadej was very strong. At Old Kwaremont I had no response to his attack. Personally, I think it was one of my best Tour of Flanders (it was 4th in 2019, 1st in 2020, 2nd in 2021, 1st in 2023 and now 2nd in 2023. Van Aert, with a bloody knee after being affected in one of the falls, finished fourth: “I was a bit surprised by Mathieu van der Poel’s bomb on the Kruisberg. Perhaps he was too busy with what was to come. But the legs spoke.
